“Fuck off, Volkov. This is a family matter and is none of your business. This is my land. You are trespassing.”
Simon laughs.
My body is so tense I can barely breathe.
“Trespassing? Interesting. I would say it’s more of a rescue mission,” he taunts.
“This ismy family!” Alek screams in anger.
“No, she’smyfamily. And I am not leaving without her.”
“Well, you’re going to be disappointed then, Volkov, because I’m not…”
“Do you know what this is?” Simon interrupts him, holding up an iPad.
Alek stiffens. “I’m not stupid, boy. I can see what that is.”
“Right, of course. But actually, it’s what’s on here that’s more important. You see… I did some digging. I dug deeper than I guess you ever expected people to dig into you and your business. Do you want to know what I found?”
“There’s nothing to find! You’ll never find any…”
“Smirnov. Popov. Santino. Vito…”
“You’re just listing names,” my father says, but his voice has become tense. He’s nervous, shifting from one foot to the other.
“Am I? You don’t recognize the connection in those names?”
“There is none!” My father snaps, but I can tell he’s already cornered.
Simon steps closer to us.
“Those are some of the families that you tried to play against each other for your own benefit. Yourallies, supposedly. And that’s just a small list; it goes on for quite a while. I wonder if yourallieswould be so willing to side with you if this information were to get out.”
“You can’t prove it,” Alek says weakly.
“Oh, you are very wrong, Alek. I can prove everything.” He holds the iPad so Alek can see the screen, then flicks through documents.
Documents that my father clearly recognizes. “So, the deal is this. You let Selene go. You never contact her again. You never stalk her or make any attempt to get updates on her life. The twins as well. They don’t exist to you. And in exchange, I will keep your secret a secret. The other option… well… We take Selene now by force, and this information goes out to every family in this city and every city around us.”
My father is shaking. I don’t know if it’s from anger or fear, but his hands are shaking as he holds me.
“Make your choice, Alek,” Simon says sternly. “You have thirty seconds.”
Alek lowers the gun from my temple.
“And Yakov,” I say, stepping away from him. He can come with us, too,” I tell Simon.
Yakov shakes his head. “No, my place is with my family. I just couldn’t sit by and watch father harm you.”
“But he’ll harm you,” I say, strained with worry.
“Yakov’s safety is part of the deal, then. If anything happens to him…”
“Fine! For fuck’s sake!” Alek snarls. “Selene, the twins, Yakov—I swear if any of that information gets out, I will kill them all!”
Simon sneers.
“Watch your words, old man. If your daughter hears you threatening her children, she will skin you alive. I’ve seen how fierce she can be,” Simon throws me a half smile as I walk towards him.
